Multiple party reward system utilizing single account

ABSTRACT

A method enabling a frequent shopper reward system capable of tracking performance data of a plurality of members or account holders linked to a single frequent shopper account.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/037,143, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/223,900, filed Dec. 31, 1998 for “MULTIPLE PARTYREWARD SYSTEM UTILIZING SINGLE ACCOUNT”, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,327,573, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to incentive reward systems and, morespecifically, to frequent shopper card programs.

2. Background of the Invention

Frequent shopper cards are used in the retail industry to rewardcustomers for their loyalty and to create incentives for customerpatronage. Frequent shopper programs allow customers to feel as thoughthey are getting a fair deal or an added bonus when they purchase moreproducts. Furthermore, retail establishments benefit from the revenueincrease generated by the additional purchasing that a reward programencourages. In effect, frequent shopper cards are a constant companionfor many buyers at retail stores and more recently at quick servicerestaurants.

A frequent shopper card may comprise a non-intelligent card, e.g., acredit card, or a “smart” card. A smart card typically comprises memorysuitable for holding information indicative of, e.g., a present monetaryvalue of the card, a processor for controlling access to the memory suchthat the monetary value may be increased or decreased in response to atransaction, an interface to, e.g., point of sale terminals used totransact with the bearer of the smart card. A PDA (Personal DataAssistant) or other portable computer which may store electronic cashmay function as the frequent shopper card described herein.

Several quick service restaurants have begun to use frequent shoppercards for purchase based reward programs. For example, one suchrestaurant has tested a smart-card based frequent shopper program thatlets consumers go cash-free and earn bonus points toward free meals whenthey use the card at designated restaurants. A terminal located within arestaurant is used to increase a stored monetary value of a card inexchange for cash. The terminals may also be used to check the status ofthe card (i.e., operational or malfunctioning) or determine the presentvalue of the card. Customers earn 1 point for each dollar of foodpurchased with the card. For 10 points, customers receive, e.g., a freebreakfast value meal; for 15 points they receive a predefined meal, andfor 20 points they earn a meal of their own choosing.

A second quick service restaurant rewards the frequent customer withprizes that increase in value through a series of, e.g., 16 visits,after which the cycle repeats. Prizes range from simple discounts onfood to offers from record and video stores. The reward must be claimedafter each cycle.

A third quick service restaurant distributes frequent shopper cards toits Frequent Customer Club members. Members can earn a credit for eachvisit plus credits based on the dollar value of purchases. A five creditticket is granted to the customer when their card has accumulated fivecredits on five different purchases. These tickets can be collected andexchanged for bonus food or logo merchandise.

A fourth quick service restaurant tested a frequent shopper rewardsprogram card that lets customers collect points toward a free sandwicheach time they make a purchase using on-line and off-line debit cards orcredit cards issued by a participating bank.

Unfortunately, the aforementioned frequent shopper programs do not allowmultiple users to utilize a single account card. That is, these programsrequire that every program participant have an individual frequentshopper card. Consequently, these programs do not provide a mechanismfor rewarding customers accompanying the customer participating in theprogram.

Therefore, it is seen to be desirable to provide a frequent shopper cardprogram addressing the aforementioned disadvantages. Specifically, it isseen to be desirable to provide a method for rewarding multiple shopperswithin a frequent shopper reward program using a single frequent shoppercard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to incentive reward systems and, morespecifically, to a method enabling a frequent shopper reward systemcapable of tracking performance data of a plurality of members oraccount holders linked to a single frequent shopper account.

Specifically, in a transaction environment, a reward method according tothe invention comprises the steps of: retrieving, in response to anaccount identifier, a customer record associated with the accountidentifier, the customer record including account informationidentifying a plurality of sub-account holders; determining which of theplurality of sub-account holders are present; transacting with at leastone of the present sub-account holders; calculating a reward level;allocating, to at least one of the present sub-account holders, at leasta portion of the determined reward level; and updating the retrievedcustomer record.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a transaction system according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a transaction reward method accordingto the invention;

FIGS. 3A-3C depict a relational diagram useful in understanding thepresent invention;

FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary frequent shopper database in tabular formand suitable for use in the transaction system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4B and 4C depict an exemplary frequent shopper rules database intabular form and suitable for use in the transaction system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of a customer identification methodsuitable for use in the method of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a flow diagram of a reward calculation andallocation method suitable for use in the method of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram of a present member determination methodsuitable for use in the method of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a flow diagram of a transaction reward methodaccording to a physical access embodiment of the invention.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been usedwhere possible to designate identical elements that are common to thefigures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus enabling afrequent shopper reward system capable of tracking performance data of aplurality of members or account holders linked to a single frequentshopper account. In this manner, a frequent shopper card of, e.g., aprimary member or account holder, may be used in virtually anytransaction environment to identify a plurality of sub-account holdersand responsively update performance data associated with the sub-accountholders.

While the invention is primarily described herein within the context ofa retail sales and/or service transaction environment, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that the invention hasapplicability beyond these transactional environments. For example, aphysical access transaction environment embodiment will be disclosed inwhich physical access via, e.g., a turnstile is granted or denied to aplurality of present sub-account holders using a single frequentshopping card (i.e., an access card).

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a transaction system according to oneembodiment of the invention. Specifically, FIG. 1 depicts a blockdiagram of a transaction system 100 suitable for transacting withconsumers or shoppers utilizing a frequent shopper card within, e.g. ashopping environment such as a fast food restaurant.

The system 100 includes a transaction controller 150, an output device110, an input device 120, a server 160, an optional voice recognitionunit 130, an optional biometric identification unit 140, an optionallicense plate scanning unit 145 and an optional physical access unit148. Those skilled in the art will understand that the voice recognitionunit 130 and the biometric identification unit 140 may be the samedevice. For example, the biometric identification device 140 may readand interpret signals representing a person's voice, and therebydetermine if the person is to be granted access. Also, those skilled inthe art will understand that the biometric identification device 140 maybe a handwriting recognition and identification device, such as thosesupported by Advanced Recognition Technologies, Inc.'s smARTwriter®software.

The transaction controller 150, illustrative of a point of sale (POS)terminal within a transactional environment such as a restaurant,comprises an input/output (I/O) circuit 152, support circuitry 153, amicroprocessor 154 and memory 155. The microprocessor 154 cooperateswith conventional support circuitry 153 such as power supplies, clockcircuits, cache memory and the like, as well as circuits that assist inexecuting the various software routines. The transaction controller 150also contains input/output circuitry 152 that forms an interface betweenthe transaction controller 150 and the display device, the input device120, the server 160 and the various optional units 130-148. Although thetransaction controller 150 is depicted as a general purpose computerthat is programmed to perform specific functions in accordance with thepresent invention, the invention can be implemented in hardware as anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As such, the processsteps described herein are intended to be broadly interpreted as beingequivalently performed by software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

The output device 110, illustratively a computer or video display device111 or a printer 112, is operatively coupled to the transactioncontroller 150 and displays information to, e.g., a store clerk and/or atransacting customer. The input device 120, illustratively a keyboard orpointing device, is operatively coupled to the transaction controller150 and receives information from, e.g., a store clerk and/or atransacting customer. The display unit 111 and input unit 120 may becombined into a single functional unit comprising, e.g., a touch screendevice.

The server 160, illustratively a central computer or server within atransactional environment such as a restaurant, comprises aninput/output (I/O) circuit 162, support circuitry 163, microprocessor164 and memory 165. The input/output (I/O) circuit 162, supportcircuitry 163, a microprocessor 164 and memory 165 function insubstantially the same manner as, respectively, the input/output (I/O)circuit 152, support circuitry 153, a microprocessor 154 and memory 155described above with respect to the transaction controller 150. Theserver 160 is operatively coupled to the transaction controller 150 viaa communications link 105, illustratively a local area network (LAN). Inthe case of a remotely located server (not shown), the communicationslink 105 may comprise, e.g., a wide area network (WAN) or Internetcommunications channel.

The memory 155 of the transaction controller 150 is depicted asincluding a transaction reward method 200. The transaction reward method200 will be described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 2.Briefly, the transaction reward method 200 operates in conjunction withthe input devices (i.e., input device 120 and optional voice recognitionunit 130, biometric identification unit 140 and license plate scanningunit 145) and output devices (display unit 111 and optional physicalaccess unit 148) to transact with a shopper or consumer using a frequentshopper card. An identifier that identifies the transacting consumerassociated with the frequent shopper card (i.e., the account member),and information pertaining to that consumer, are stored in a frequentshopper database 400A within, e.g., server 160. Additionally, thetransaction reward method 200 assesses reward points based upontransaction parameters defined within a frequent shopper rules database400B within, e.g., server 160. It will be appreciated by those skilledin the art that the transaction reward method 200 may be stored inmemory 155 of transaction controller 150, memory 165 of server 160 oranother remote memory location. All that is necessary is that thetransaction reward method 200 be operably engaged with the variousdevices used to transact with a consumer or frequent shopper cardholder.

The memory 165 within the server 160 is depicted as including a frequentshopper database 400A, a frequent shopper rules database 400B and,optionally, entertainment programs 165-1. The frequent shopper database400A and frequent shopper rules database 400B will be described in moredetail below with respect to FIG. 4A and FIGS. 4B and 4C, respectively.Additionally, a relationship between the objects within the frequentshopper database 400A and a transaction will be described in more detailbelow with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C. Briefly, the frequent shopperdatabase 400A comprises a plurality of data objects indicative of thetype and membership of a frequent shopper account, including demographicprofile data, transaction profile data, reward level and otherinformation associated with each member. The frequent shopper rulesdatabase 400B comprises a plurality of data objects indicative of therules defining the reward level or reward points assessed to a frequentshopper account in response to a transaction or series of transactions.For example, the frequent shopper rules database defines how manymembers must be present, the minimum value of a transaction to earn areward and other parameters.

The above-described databases may be centrally stored or, in anotherembodiment, may be stored on the card itself. For example, the data maybe stored in memory on a smart card, encoded on a magnetic strip on acard or stored in the cache or “cookie” on a computer of the customer(e.g. a PDA).

The optional biometric identification unit 140 may comprise any deviceuseful in identifying a human being. For example, the biometricidentification unit 140 may comprise a fingerprint scanner, a voicerecognition unit or voice signature unit, a retinal scanning unit or anyother device suitable for identifying a human. The biometricidentification unit 140 is used as a means of allowing the transactioncontroller 150 to assure that a particular member or sub-account holderassociated with the frequent shopper card is actually present. In thecase of a transaction environment in which the actual identity ormembership status of a present customer is immaterial to a particulartransaction, then the biometric identification unit 140 may be used toprovide a mere indication that a specific person is present, rather thanproviding identification information about that person. Thus, the typeof biometric identification unit 140 utilized may be dependent primarilyon non-technical factors, such as the marketing objectives of atransacting establishment. For example, in one embodiment of theinvention it is only necessary to determine that a person has traversed(or will traverse) a physical access point such as a public transitturnstile, so that the value (cost and/or reward) of such access isattributed to a particular frequent shopper card.

The optional voice recognition unit 130, which may function as abiometric identification device, comprises, illustratively, a voicerecognition unit (e.g., voice signature unit), audio analyzer or voicestress analyzer, depending upon the purpose of the voice recognitionunit 130. For example, if the voice recognition unit 130 is used todetermine whether a particular individual is present, then the voicerecognition unit may be a relatively sophisticated hardware or softwareapparatus used to identify a number of vocal characteristics such that avoice profile or signature may be derived and matched to a storedsignature, thereby identifying a particular person. If the voicerecognition unit 130 is used merely to count the number of people in aparty, then the unit may be a less sophisticated apparatus designedmerely to identify differences in voice patterns or spatial differencesin voice or audio sources. Optionally, the voice recognition unit 130may comprise a voice stress analyzer that may be used, e.g., as amarketing tool to help identify whether the speaker is having a pleasanttransaction experience or whether the transaction environment should beadapted in some way to reduce the stress level of the transactingparties.

The optional physical access unit 148, comprises, illustratively, a gateat a members-only “warehouse” store (or other members-only establishmentsuch as a child-friendly restaurant/play center), a public transitturnstile or any type of physical barrier through which physical accessmay be gained. The use of a frequent shopper card (i.e., a frequentrider card in a public transit system) within a physical accesstransaction environment may require that a primary account membertransact for all present sub-account members prior to gaining physicalaccess to, e.g., a train platform.

A. General Transaction Environment

FIGS. 3A-3C depict a relational diagram useful in understanding thepresent invention. Specifically, FIGS. 3A-3C depict a relational diagramof transaction-related elements or objects utilized in an embodiment ofthe present invention.

A frequent shopper reward system according to the invention provides asingle account that may be associated with a plurality of sub-accountholders or members. Referring to FIG. 3B, the single account isidentified by an account identifier 302. The account identifier 302 isassociated with a plurality of account members 304-1, 304-2, 304-3 and304-N.

Each of the account members or account holders 304-1 through 304-N isassociated with a plurality of respective data objects. Specifically,referring now to account holder 304-1, an exemplary grouping of accountholder data objects comprises the following: a transactional profile306, a demographic profile 308, a reward level 310, a primary member oraccount holder indication field 312, a reward rules field 314 and anaccount type field 316. Each account member or account holder 304 andthe respective data objects 306-316 are stored in a frequent shopperdatabase 400A, which will be described in more detail below with respectto FIG. 4A.

The transactional profile 306 contains information relating to priortransactions by the account member 304. Specifically, the transactionalprofile 306 comprises a purchase history 306A, a reward history 306B, arelations history 306C, an average value indicator 306D and a number ofpurchases indicator 306E. The purchase history 306A comprises a list ofsome or all of the purchases and/or transactions associated with theaccount member or sub-account holder 304. The reward history 306Bcomprises a listing of some or all of the rewards earned and/or redeemedby the account member or sub-account holder 304 relating to, e.g., thepurchases or transactions identified within the purchase history 306A.The relations history 306C includes historical data tracking the variousrelations between the account member or sub-account holder 304 and otheraccount members or sub-account holders associated with accountidentifier 302 or, optionally, other accounts (e.g., a frequent shopperparticipating in several programs offered by the same or differentpromoters). The average value indicator 306D represents the averagevalue of an item or the average value of a transaction associated withthe account member or sub-account holder 304. The number of purchasesindicator 306E indicates the number of discrete transactions enteredinto by the account member or sub-account holder 304.

The demographic profile 308 comprises information relating to theaccount member or sub-account holder. Specifically, the demographicprofile 308 includes the name 308A, age 308B, address 308C, relation308D, and phone number 308E of the account member or sub-account holder304. Other demographic information may be included in this profile, suchas member entered information indicative of member preferences,information derived from data mining or other processing techniques andthe like.

The relation object 308D represents a present or historic relationshipbetween this account member or sub-account holder 304-1 and otheraccount members or sub-account holders exhibiting similar demographicprofiles and/or tendencies. For example, through the aforementioned datamining techniques, it may be determined that a particular member oraccount holder 304-1 exhibits demographic or transactional tendenciesassociated with other members or account holders from the identifiedaccount 302 or other accounts. By maintaining an active link betweendemographically similar account members or sub-account holders,regardless of actual account, it is possible to formulate incentiveprograms tailored to particular demographic groupings, regardless of theaccount affiliation of a particular member.

The reward level object 310 indicates a present reward level of theaccount member or sub-account holder 304. The reward level may bedetermined as, e.g., a number of reward points earned.

The primary holder indicative object 312 indicates whether theparticular account member or sub-account holder 304 is a primary memberor primary account holder (e.g., a parent or head of household on arestaurant frequent purchaser card having a plurality of children assub-account holders).

The reward rules object 314 indicates whether any specific reward rulesare applicable to the account member or sub-account holder 304 beyondthose included in a frequent shoppers rules data base 400B, which willbe discussed in more detail below with respect to FIG. 4B. For example,to encourage account usage by new members, points or rewards accrued bya new member may be enhanced (e.g., doubled) for an introductory period(e.g., six months). Similarly, a predefined affinity card or programselected by the member or sub-account holder 304-1 may impose particularreward rules regarding the accrual of “co-reward” points for the twoprograms. For example, an affinity frequent flyer program associatedwith the account identified 302 and the member or sub-account holder304-1 may require the purchase of certain items (e.g., garment bags,travel kits and the like) at certain minimum value or cost levels beforeaffinity reward points (e.g., frequent flyer miles) are awarded to themember or account holder 304-1.

In addition to being associated with one or more members or sub-accountholders 304-1 through 304-N, the account identifier 302 of FIG. 3 isassociated with a type of account object 316, and a present transaction320. The type of account object 316 indicates whether the account is asingle user account or multiple user account. Optionally, the type ofaccount object 316 may be used to indicate whether the account isassociated with affinity accounts, a particular termination date, andother such information.

The transaction 320 is associated with, for each item sold, atransaction date 322, an item number 324, an item value 326, an itemquantity 328, an item delivery term 330 and, optionally, an inventorycontrol system program 332. It must be noted that FIGS. 3A-3C depict asingle item 324 related to a single transaction 320 that is associatedwith the account identifier 302. It will be appreciated by those skilledin the art that the transaction 320 may be associated with multipleitems having associated item number, value, quantity and delivery terms.Moreover, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that theidentified account 302 may be associated by multiple transactions, eachof which may involve one or more items and other associated information.

The transaction data 322 indicates the date upon which a particulartransaction 320 is consummated. The item number 324 indicates aparticular item that is purchased by a member or sub-account holder 304of the account 302. The item value term 326, item quantity term 328 anditem delivery term 330 are those contractual terms associated with thepurchase of the item 324 during the transaction 320. It is noted that atypical inventory control program seeks to keep in stock a minimalnumber of items necessary to satisfy consumer demand, while avoiding themaintaining in inventory of more items than are necessary. That is, aninventory control program typically seeks to reduce costs and enhancecustomer satisfaction by carrying the minimum level of inventory neededto substantially satisfy consumer expectations of immediate or near termdelivery of purchased items. Various demand flow and value chainprograms and techniques are available to perform this task and may beoperatively coupled to the invention.

The transaction 320 is associated with a card identification program334, a frequent shoppers data base 400A, a frequent shoppers rulesdatabase 400B and a reward program 340. The card identification program334 comprises a program that reads or otherwise determines the accountidentifier associated with a frequent shopper card. The cardidentification program may comprise hardware and/or software suitablefor reading a magnetic card, interfacing to a smart card, scanning alicense plate to identify a vehicle belonging to a member or accountholder 304-1, identifying a particular present human being using a voicerecognition unit 130, a biometric identification unit 140 or retrievingan account identifier via any input means such as a keyboard or pointingdevice.

The frequent shoppers database 400A contains information associated withfrequent shoppers (i.e., members/account holders) as previouslydescribed with respect to the member or account holder 304-1. That is,the frequent shoppers database 400A may comprise a centralized databasethat stores information associated with all frequent shoppersparticipating in a particular frequent shopper program or promotion. Thefrequent shopper's rules database 400B comprises a database thatprovides all the rules associated with a particular frequent shopperprogram or promotion that are applicable to all participants in thatprogram. The frequent shoppers rules database 400B may also includethose rules associated with particular members or account holders (i.e.,reward rules 314 as described above), such that a centralized relationaldatabase may be used to store all shopper and rules information. Thefrequent shoppers database 400A and frequent shoppers rules database400B are used within the context of a transaction 320 to assess rewardpoints based upon the transaction itself and appropriately credit thosereward points to the proper member's or account holder's account. Thereward program 340 is used to determine the actual reward levelassociated with a particular transaction. For example, a transactionhaving a monetary value of $100 may be assessed, e.g., one hundredpoints and in the case of an affinity frequent flyer program, anadditional one hundred frequent flyer miles. The frequent shopper rulesdatabase 400B will be described in more detail below with respect toFIGS. 4B and 4C.

FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary frequent shopper database 400A in tabularform. The frequent shopper database 400A of FIG. 4A comprises a subsetof the information previously described with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C.Specifically, the frequent shopper database 400A as depicted in FIG. 4Acomprises a tabular presentation of the information related to member oraccount holder information 304 of FIG. 3B. That is, the accountidentifier 302, member or account holder 304, primary member indicator312, demographic profile 308, transactional profile 306, reward rules314 and type of account object 316 of FIG. 3B correspond to,respectively, account identifier 402, member or account holder 404,primary member indicator 412, demographic profile 408, transactionalprofile 406, reward rules 414 and type of account object 416 of FIG. 4A.

Since each of these corresponding data objects, and any correspondingsub-obj ects, operate in substantially the same manner as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C, the corresponding data objects andsub-objects of FIG. 4A will not be discussed in further detail.

FIGS. 4B and 4C depict an exemplary frequent shopper rules database400B. The rules database 400B is divided into physical presence rules450, transaction rules 460, reward rules 470 and affiliation rules 480.The physical presence rules 450 refer to the physical presencerequirements imposed upon a transacting member or members prior to theearning of a reward. The transaction rules 460 refer to the type of itempurchased, value of items purchased and other parameters associated witha reward-earning transaction. The affiliation rules 480 (e.g., aco-brand reward “kicker”) are associated with rules governingtransactions that are also associated with an affiliated promotion orprogram, rules governing co-promotion reward calculation, rewardassessment and promoted payment means (i.e., affinity credit cards,preferred bank credit cards and the like).

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4B, the physical presence rules 450comprise a first field indicative of whether the presence of a member isrequired prior to the member receiving a reward; a second field AAAindicative of a number of members required to be present prior to areward being earned; a third field indicative of whether a primarymember must be present to earn a reward (for those accounts utilizing aprimary member or account holder) and other physical presence rules.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4B, the transaction rules 460comprise a first field indicative of a minimum total transaction valueBBB required to be reached prior to earning a reward. A second fielddefines a list of enhanced value transaction items (ER1-ERx), that is alist of items that are associated with an enhanced reward value. A thirdfield defines a list of degraded value transaction items (DR1-DRx), thatis a list of items that are associated with an degraded reward value. Afourth field defines a list of required transaction items (ER1-ERx),that is a list of items that are associated with a required rewardvalue. A fifth field defines a time of day promotion, e.g., “early birdspecial.” A sixth field defines a day of the week promotion, e.g., apromotion to boost sales on a traditionally low-volume day. A seventhfield defines a frequency of transaction promotion, e.g., the minimumnumber of visits within a pre-defined time period a primary ofsub-account holder must make, such as four visits per month. An eighthfield is used to define other transaction rules.

It should be noted that enhanced reward items are those items that, whenpurchased, earn a reward level above the level or points normallyawarded to an item of similar transaction value, e.g., promotionalitems, clearance items, slow moving items and the like. Similarly,degraded reward items are those items that, when purchased, earn areward level below the level or points normally awarded to an item ofsimilar transaction value, e.g., items that are in short supply or sohighly prized by consumers that no reward is necessary to provide aconsumer incentive, such as the most popular new toy at Christmas.Finally, required reward items are those items that must be purchasedprior to a transaction being able to generate a reward.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4B, the reward rules 470 comprise afirst field that defines reward accrual rules, such as how many rewardpoints must be earned prior to redemption of the points for a reward. Asecond field defines reward tier rules, such as disproportionatelyincreasing redemption values as reward levels increase beyond variousthreshold levels or tiers. A third field defines reward allocationrules, such as whether a primary account member or holder is entitled toa preferential allocation of reward points. A fourth field defines thetype of rewards that may be provided, such as present or futuretransaction discounts, merchandise or service coupons, “cash back”allowances, frequent flier miles, long distance telephone call discountsor free minutes and the like. A fifth field is used to define otherreward rules and rewards. In one embodiment, the reward points allocatedto the primary account holder and the sub-account holders may varydepending on the total number of account and sub-account holders in thetransacting party. For example, for a given transaction, ten points maybe allocated to the primary account holder if no other sub-accountholders are present. But twenty points may be allocated to both theprimary account holder and a sub-account holder if both are physicallypresent for the transaction.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4C, the affiliation rules 480include a first field defining a reward point increase attributed to atransaction that includes the use of a credit card from a particularbank. A second field defines a reward point increase attributed to atransaction that includes the use of a store credit card. A third fieldis indicative of whether the transaction reward program includes anautomatic link to a frequent flier program (e.g., transaction rewardpoints redeemable as frequent flier miles). A fourth field is indicativeof whether the transaction reward program includes an automatic link toan affiliated reward program. A fifth field is used to define otheraffiliation rules.

In one embodiment of the invention the members or account holders aredivided into a plurality of classes, where each class is associated witha respective reward structure. Class membership denotes a particulardemographic or transactional profile (or set of profiles) that isassociated with an appropriately tailored reward structure. Classes maybe defined in any manner appropriate for the transaction environment.For example, in the case of a restaurant transaction, environmentclasses may comprise adults, children, high value purchasers, highvolume purchasers, expense account users, vegetarians and the like. Thereward structure associated with each class provides at least anincentive appropriate to a member of that class. Optionally, the rewardstructure also provides additional incentive to that member to purchasehigher quality, higher volume or other products or services targeted bya merchant.

The reward structure associated with a respective class is adapted tothe transaction or demographic profile appropriate to that class. Forexample, in the case of membership in the high value purchaser class,the associated reward structure may emphasize high value item rewards,luxury affinity program tie-ins and other incentives appropriate toencourage purchases by a member of that class. In the case of membershipin the expense account user class, the reward structure may include acorporate reward component and a personal reward component. Thecorporate reward component provides an incentive to the corporation toutilize the products and/or services being purchased (advanced ordetailed expense account tracking, pooling of rewards or discounts withother corporate users, corporate cash-back and the like), while thepersonal reward component provides a more a direct incentive to theexpense account user (e.g., frequent flyer add-ons, luxury upgrades andother enhancements of a more personal nature).

Class membership is determined with respect to a transaction profile ordemographic profile. The transaction or demographic profile may evolveover time such that a member or sub-account holder will migrate from oneclass into another class. This class migration occurs in response toactual changes in the transaction or demographic information associatedwith the member or account holder. Additionally, this migration occursin response to refinements in the accuracy of the transaction ordemographic profile associated with the member or account holder. Ineither case, the system continually updates and refines the informationrelated to each member or account holder. In this manner, the rewardstructure associated with that member or account holder is refined in amanner likely to induce loyalty in that member or account holder to theproducts and/or services offered by a participating merchant.

B. Retail Store Transaction Environment

An embodiment of the subject invention will now be described within thecontext of a retail store environment. The retail store environment maycomprise, e.g., a restaurant, a department store, a movie theater or anyother retail establishment selling products and/or services. The presentinvention allows a frequent shopper card associated with a singlecustomer to be used during a retail transaction to identify a pluralityof sub-account holders or members and update performance data associatedwith the sub-account holders or members according to the transaction ortransactions performed.

For purposes of this discussion it will be assumed that a primaryaccount holder or primary member having physical control of a frequentshopper card is a head of a household (i.e., a parent) comprising fivemembers. In the retail store environment the parent presents his or herfrequent shopping card to the clerk operating the transaction controller150, i.e., a point of sale terminal. The clerk “scans” or “swipes” thefrequent shopper card using a card reader or other input device 120suitable for entering the frequent shopper card data into thetransaction controller 150. The transaction controller 150, in responseto the entry of an account identifier via input device 120, retrievesthe account data associated with the frequent shopper account. Thetransaction controller 150, in response to the retrieved accountinformation, prompts the clerk or primary account holder to identify allpresent sub-account holders. That is, a prompt may be issued directly bythe transaction controller 150 via, e.g., a display device 110, toindicate to either of the clerk or primary account holder whichsub-account holders or members are physically present. This prompt maybe communicated in several ways. For example, the prompt may becommunicated directly to the parent or primary account holder viadisplay 110, illustratively a touch screen. The prompt may becommunicated indirectly by outputting a “check-off” list to a screenread by the clerk, who would then verbally ask the parent or primarycard holder which sub-account holders are present. The card holder wouldthen input the number and/or identity of those present according to theresponse provided by the parent or primary account holder.

After determining which sub-account holders are present, the transactioncontroller 150 processes the transaction or transactions of the presentaccount holders or members. After processing the instant transaction(s),the transaction controller 150 evaluates the transaction(s) based upon,e.g., subtotal, particular items purchased, presence of sub-accountholders and other data as defined by the various rules within thefrequent shopper rules database 400B. The rules may specify, forexample, a minimum purchase amount (e.g., greater than $50), that atleast one of a particular item must be purchased, that greater than apredetermined number of sub-account holders must be present, or that aparticular form of payment must be used (i.e., a credit card from anaffiliated or participating bank or credit union). Based upon theevaluation of the transaction in accordance with the reward rules, theaccount and/or sub-account holder performance data is updated by, e.g.,adding or subtracting reward points.

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a transaction reward method 200according to the invention. Specifically, FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagramof a method 200 for transacting and assessing reward points to aplurality of members using a common account or frequent shopper card.

The method 200 is entered at step 205 and proceeds to step 210, where acustomer ID is received. A customer ID may be received by, e.g., swipingor otherwise inputting into the transaction controller 150 the accountidentification information from a frequent shopper card. The method 200then proceeds to step 215, where the customer record associated with thereceived account identification are retrieved from, e.g., the storeserver 160 or a remote server (not shown). The method 200 then proceedsto step 220.

At step 220 a determination is made as to which account members arephysically present at the transaction point. For example, in the case ofa frequent customer club at a restaurant, a determination is made as towhich members are present in the restaurant. This determination may bemade in several ways, as previously described. The determination may bemade by a verbal query from the clerk or wait person to primary memberaccount holder. The method 200 then proceeds to step 225. At step 225 atransaction between one or more of the present account members and thetransaction controller 150 is consummated. For example, in the case ofthe frequent customer card, a transaction may comprise a selection offoods and beverages coupled with payment or a promise to pay for thoseselected foods and beverages. The method 200 then proceeds to step 230.

At step 230 a reward level is calculated based upon the transactionperformed at step 225, the number and/or identification of the presentnumbers determined at step 220 and any additional reward levelparameters. For example, in the case of a frequent customer card havingan enhanced reward period for new frequent dining program members, thereward level calculated at step 230 may be enhanced in some manner. Themethod 200 then proceeds to step 235.

At step 235, the calculated reward level is allocated to one or more ofthe account members. The reward may comprise an increase in rewardpoints that is allocated evenly between the present members, allocatedin a preferential manner to a primary member with non-primary members(i.e., sub-account holders) receiving a smaller portion or in any othermanner. The reward may comprise an immediate discount on the cost to themember(s) of the transaction performed at step 225, a future discount, acoupon, a monetary rebate (i.e., a “cash back” program) or other reward.In the case of coupons, the transaction controller 150 may produce, viaa printing device 112, an appropriate coupon. The method 200 thenproceeds to step 240, where the customer record is updated, and to step245 where the method is exited.

With respect to step 220 of the method 200 of FIG. 2, the inventorscontemplate several methods for determining which account members arepresent. A first method comprises the verbal prompting of, e.g., theprimary member or account holder by, e.g., a clerk within a transactionenvironment such as a store. The clerk optionally is provided a list viaa display device of the members of the frequent shopper account. Each ofthe members or sub-account members may verbally indicate to the clerktheir name, the clerk may simply count the number present and assume allthe people present are related to the frequent shopper account, or thepeople in the party may enter their initials, thumbprints, or some otheridentifier into the transaction controller 150 via, e.g., biometricidentification unit 140.

FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram of a present member determination method220 suitable for use in the method 200 of FIG. 2. Specifically, FIG. 7depicts a method 220 suitable for use in implementing step 220 of themethod 200 of FIG. 2.

The method 220 is entered at step 220-2 and proceeds to step 220-4,where the account members associated with the transacting account aredisplayed on a display device, e.g., display unit 110. The method 220then proceeds to optional step 220-6.

An optional step 220-6 a prompt is issued to a clerk requesting that theclerk ask for the names of present account members from a customertransacting with the clerk. The method 220 then proceeds to step 220-8.

At step 220-8 input indicative of the present account members isreceived. For example, in the case of optional step 220-6 beingutilized, a clerk may type or otherwise input into the transactioncontroller the names of the present account members as indicated by thecustomer. Similarly, the present account members may indicate theirpresence in any one of several means.

As indicated by task 220-7, the input may comprise typed input, voiceinput, biometric identification, and/or audio-spatial input.Additionally, it must be noted that the input step may be performedafter transaction items are determined by comparing the transactionitems with transaction history data to determine whether one or moreaccount members are present and, if so, which sub-account members arelikely present as well.

Referring to input step 220-7, the typed input may comprise customer orclerk input to the transaction controller 150 via a touch screen, akeypad or a pointing device. Voice input may be provided via the voicerecognition unit 130. The biometric identification may be provided viabiometric identification unit 140. Audio-spatial input may be providedvia voice recognition unit 130 or biometric identification unit 140. Theaudio spatial input comprises audio information sufficient to allow thetransaction controller to determine the number of audio sources. Forexample, in the case of an enclosed area, such as a vehicle includingseveral potential account members, the audio spatial information maycomprise each of the members stating their names or the fact that theyare present. The transaction controller 150 processes the audioinformation to determine how many audio point sources are provided,thereby providing an indication as to the number of people in thevehicle and, presumably, the number of account members present. Themethod 220 then proceeds to step 220-10.

At step 220-10 a query is made as to whether a primary account membermust be present to transact on the account. That is, a query is made asto whether a contemplated transaction requires authorization for thephysical presence of a primary account member. If the query at step220-10 is answered affirmatively, then the method 220 proceeds to step220-12. If the query at step 220-10 is answered negatively, then themethod 220 proceeds to step 220-14.

At step 220-12 the primary account member authorization is retrieved.The primary account member authorization may be inferred based upon thepresence of a primary account member or an additional personalidentification number (PIN) associated with the primary account member.Upon retrieval of the primary account member authorization, the method220 proceeds to step 220-14. If primary account member authorization isnot received, then the method 220 times out and the transaction isaborted.

At step 220-14 the transaction is enabled. The method 220 then proceedsto step 220-16 where it is exited.

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a flow diagram of a reward calculation andallocation method 600 suitable for use in the method 200 of FIG. 2.Specifically, FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a reward calculation and allocationmethod 600 suitable for use in implementing steps 230 and 235 of themethod 200 of FIG. 2.

The method 600 is entered at step 602 and proceeds to step 604, wherethe reward level of present account members is increased per thetransaction rules. That is, in step 604 each of the present, transactingaccount members receives a reward according to the value, items selectedand other transaction rules as applied to the instant transaction. Themethod 600 then proceeds to step 606.

At step 606 the accumulated reward level of each present account memberis determined. That is, the reward level associated with each accountmember plus any increase in reward level performed at step 604 isdetermined. The method 600 then proceeds to step 608.

At step 608 those present members having a respective reward levelexceeding a first threshold level are rewarded. That is, each presentmember having a respective individual reward level exceeding a firstthreshold level is rewarded by, e.g., a discount on the transaction, adiscount on a future transaction, free goods and/or services, or otherrewards as appropriate to the transacting environment and describedelsewhere in this disclosure. The method 600 then proceeds to step 610.

At step 610 the sum of accumulated reward levels for all members isdetermined. That is, the sum of reward levels for each account memberpresent and, optionally, those account members not present isaccumulated to determine a total account reward level. The method 600then proceeds to step 612.

At step 612 the present account members are issued a reward if thereward level determined at step 612 exceeds a second threshold level.The method 600 then proceeds to step 614.

At step 614 a determination is made as to whether all of the accountmembers are present. The method then proceeds to step 616, where, in thecase of all account members being present, the present account membersare issued a reward. The method 600 then proceeds to step 618.

At step 618 the number of transactions made by each account memberduring a predetermined time interval is determined. That is, atransaction rate associated with each account member is determined for apredetermined period of time (e.g., five transactions per week, twotransactions per month, 15 transactions per year). The method 600 thenproceeds to step 620.

At step 620 the present account members having a transaction rateexceeding a first transaction rate are issued a reward. The method 600then proceeds to step 622.

At step 622 the reward levels of members transacting at less than asecond transaction rate are adjusted. That is, those membersinsufficiently utilizing a frequent shopper card as measured bytransactions per time or transaction rate are penalized in some mannersuch as reward level deduction, increase in the tier required in orderto achieve a reward and the like. The method 600 then proceeds to step624 where it is exited.

In one embodiment of the invention the number of people within a partyis determined with respect to the quantities and/or value of an orderplaced by the frequent shopper card holder. In this embodiment, ratherthan querying as to how many members or sub-account members are present(step 220), the primary account holder enters an entire order. Afterreceiving the entire order, the transaction controller 150 determines ifthe received order is for one person or for many persons. If thereceived order is for one person then the order is processedconventionally. If the received order is for many persons, then thetransaction controller 150 prompts the card holder to swipe the frequentshopper card (if not entered already). The transaction controller 150then outputs via, e.g., the display unit 111, the names of sub-accountholders or members and a prompt is issued to the frequent shopper cardholder to indicate which of the displayed names is associated with ashopper who is actually present. Frequent shopper or reward points areassessed to those members or sub-account holders who are actuallypresent.

It should be noted that the above-described teachings of the presentinvention are applicable to many transaction environments. Specifically,the teachings of the present invention as defined above with respect tothe various methods and apparatus utilized in the retail storetransaction environment may be applied to other transactionenvironments, as will now be described. Moreover, the teachings of theinvention as utilized by any one of the following transactionenvironments may be advantageously employed in any of the varioustransaction environments presented herein or known to those skilled inthe art.

C. Drive-Through Lane Transaction Environment

In a drive-through lane embodiment, the license plate scanning unit 145is used to determine the license number of a vehicle. As used herein,“license number” means the characters (e.g. letters and digits) of alicense plate of a vehicle. The license number is linked to an accountnumber of a frequent shopper account. The license plate scanning unit145 is operationally situated in or near the drive through lane suchthat it scans and identifies the license plate of a vehicle within thelane.

In this embodiment, the display unit 111 may comprise a digital menuboard that may be viewed from the vehicle within the drive-through lane.For example, in the case of a digital menu board display, the name ofthe primary account holder and all sub-account holders or members namesmay be displayed on a checklist on the digital menu board. In thismanner, the primary card holder, illustratively a parent, may indicateby, e.g., voice or other input means, that some, none or all of thesub-account members are present in the vehicle. Those skilled in the artwill recognize that the digital menu board may also be used in a moretraditional transaction environment e.g. a retail store, inside arestaurant, inside a quick service restaurant, etc.

Optionally, in the case of a primary account holder who has previouslytransacted using the frequent shopper account, the digital menu boardmay be used to display one or more previous orders of the accountholder. For example, the previous orders may include orders commonlymade by the account holder, and/or the last order made by the accountholder. The driver of the vehicle may then indicate, by a voice or otherinput means, which of the displayed previous orders should be placed. Inthis manner, the amount of time required to perform a drive-through lanetransaction is greatly reduced, since there is no need for thepurchasing party to remember precisely what orders he may have madepreviously.

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of a customer identification methodsuitable for use in the method 200 of FIG. 2. Specifically, FIG. 5depicts a customer identification method 210 suitable for use inimplementing step 210 of the method 200 of FIG. 2 in an embodiment ofthe invention utilizing the optional license plate scanning unit 145 ofFIG. 1.

The method 210 is entered at step 210-2 and proceeds to step 210-4 wherethe presence of a vehicle is detected. That is, the method 210 waitsuntil a vehicle enters, e.g., a drive through lane of a fast foodrestaurant. Upon detecting the presence of the vehicle, the method 210proceeds to step 210-6.

At step 210-6 the license plate of the vehicle within the fast food laneis scanned and identified using, e.g., apparatus disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/166,339 entitled “Method and System forMaintaining a Customer Database Using License Plate ScanningTechnology”, filed on Oct. 5, 1998, incorporated herein by reference.After scanning and identifying the license plate, the method 210proceeds to step 210-8.

At step 210-8 a query is made as to whether the identified license plateis associated with a frequent shopper account. If the query at step210-8 is answered negatively, then the routine proceeds to step 210-10.If the query at step 210-8 is answered affirmatively, then the routine210 proceeds to step 210-12.

At step 210-10 the transaction controller or clerk is prompted to offera frequent shopper card to the occupants of the detected vehicle. Themethod 210 then proceeds to 210-4 to await the next vehicle.

At step 210-12 the customer ID associated with the frequent shopper cardthat is associated with the identified license plate is sent to thetransaction controller for further processing in accordance with themethod 200 of FIG. 2. The method 210 then proceeds to step 210-14 whereit is exited.

D. Self-ordering Transaction Environment

In another embodiment of the invention, a restaurant includesself-ordering stations or touch screens, optionally built into diningtables or accessible from the tables. In this embodiment, a frequentshopper card is either passed through a card reader or manually enteredinto a built-in table screen (e.g., a touch screen). The customerinformation is retrieved and the customer is brought through aconfirmation process to determine the present members or sub-accountholders. Optionally, previously ordered food and beverage items may bedisplayed on the table screen (as with the digital menu board display ofthe drive through lane transaction environment), thereby allowing rapidentry of an order.

In addition to transacting, the built in table screens may be used toplay video games, video, music or other entertainment programs 155-1,165-1 (FIG. 1) stored in the transaction controller memory 155, servermemory 165 or other memory (e.g., a cable television feed or pay perview feed). Such entertainment use of a table screen may be offered on acoin operated or vending basis or, optionally, by debiting reward pointsfrom the appropriate frequent shopper account. It must be noted thatthese reward points may be instantly assessed to the frequent shopperaccount upon ordering. Therefore, a family may come into a restaurant,sit down at a table having a table screen, enter their frequent shopperaccount number and place their order (prompted or directly) andinstantly be assessed reward points based upon that order. These rewardpoints may then be used to provide rewards such as discounts on thecurrent food order or food ordered on a future visit. Alternatively, thereward points may be used as credits to allow entertainment uses of thetable screens.

E. Physical Access Transaction Environment

In a physical access embodiment of the invention where the card holderis not identified, e.g. an entrance to a public transit comprising aturnstile, a method according to the invention comprises the followingsteps. First, the primary account holder or member passes an access cardthrough a card reader utilized as input device 120. If the card is an“individual” card, then there is no consideration of additional users orfares. Thus, the card is returned to the user (if the card reader is thetype of card reader that requires the card be drawn into a mechanism)and the physical access unit 148, illustratively the turnstile, allowsaccess to the holder of the access card. If the access card is a“multiple user” card then it is necessary to determine how manyadditional users should be allowed access. In one embodiment of theinvention this determination is made by swiping the access card throughthe card reader an additional number of times such that the additionalnumber plus one is equal to the number of fares to be purchased. Foreach swipe of the access card through the card reader, one fare isdeducted from the card account. In one embodiment the primary accesscard holder is queried as to how many fares are to be purchased. Thecustomer then enters the number of fares to be purchased by, e.g., atouchpad or voice recognition command, then the access card is debitedaccordingly. After determining how many fares are to be purchased thephysical access unit 148 allows a determined number of fares to proceedto the restricted area. (i.e., the public transit platform).

In a physical access embodiment of the invention where the card holderis identified, e.g. an entrance to a members-only wholesale clubcomprising a turnstile, a method according to the invention comprisesthe following steps. First, the primary account holder or member passesan access card (e.g. a frequent shopper or membership card) through acard reader utilized as input device 120. If the card is an “individual”card, then there is no consideration of additional users or fares. Thus,the card is returned to the user (if the card reader is the type of cardreader that requires the card be drawn into a mechanism) and thephysical access unit 148, illustratively the turnstile, allows access tothe holder of the access card. If the access card is a “multiple user”card, then it is necessary to determine how many additional sub-accountholders should be allowed access. In one embodiment of the inventionthis determination is made by prompting the primary account holder toindicate how many sub-account holders are present. The primary accountholder then enters the number of sub-account holders present by, e.g., atouchpad or voice recognition command. After determining how manysub-account holders are present the sub-account holders are thenprompted to identify themselves by e.g. typed input, voice input,biometric identification, and/or audio-spatial input. If the appropriatenumber of sub-account holders are identified, the physical access unit148 allows the primary account holder and the determined number ofsub-account holders to proceed to the restricted area. (i.e., themembers-only wholesale club). After the group comprising the primaryaccount holder and the sub-account holders bring the items selected forpurchase to the POS terminal, in one embodiment the primary accountholder is then prompted to identify her/himself by e.g. swiping theaccess card, a touchpad or voice recognition command. Each of thesub-account holders linked to the primary account holder who identifiedthemselves at the turnstile are registered as being physically presentfor the transaction, and reward points are distributed accordingly.

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a flow diagram of a transaction reward method 800according to a physical access embodiment of the invention.Specifically, FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a flow diagram of a method 200 fortransacting and assessing reward points to a plurality of members usinga common account associated with a frequent shopper card. It must benoted that steps 205, 210, 215, 230, 235, 240 and 245 are performed insubstantially the same manner as described above with respect to FIG. 2and, therefore, will not be discussed in further detail with respect toFIGS. 8A and 8B.

At step 805 a query is made as to whether the account is linked to asingle member. If the query at step 805 is answered affirmatively (i.e.,the account has only one member or account holder), then the method 800proceeds to step 810. If the query at step 805 is answered negatively(i.e., the account has a plurality of members or account holders), thenthe method 800 proceeds to step 815.

At step 810 a single access through the physical access unit 148 (e.g.,a public transit turnstile) is granted, and the method 800 proceeds tostep 230.

At step 815 a query is made as to whether a “swipe” mode of operation ora “prompt” mode of operation is to be used to determine a number ofaccesses to be granted. If the answer to the query at step 815 is theswipe mode, the method 800 proceeds to step 820. If the answer to thequery at step 815 is the prompt mode, the method 800 proceeds to step817.

At step 820 the number of accesses to be granted is determined bycounting a number of swipes of the frequent shopping card through thecard reader. Optionally, the number may be displayed and altered via akeypad, touch screen, voice recognition unit, etc. by the primaryaccount holder prior to utilizing the indicated number of accesses. Themethod 800 then proceeds to step 830.

At step 817 a query is made as to whether it is necessary to identifythe present members associated with the frequent shopper or rideraccount/card. If the query at step 817 is answered negatively, then themethod 800 proceeds to step 825. If the query at step 817 is answeredaffirmatively, then the method 800 proceeds to step 820.

At step 220 a determination is made as to which account members arephysically present at the transaction point. This determination may bemade in several ways, as previously described. The number of presentaccount members comprises the determined number of accesses to begranted. The method 800 proceeds to step 830.

At step 825 the number of accesses to be granted is determined byprompting or interacting with the primary account holder, e.g.,prompting the primary account holder to enter a number via a keypad orvia voice recognition. The method 800 then proceeds to step 830.

At step 830 the determined number of accesses is granted, and the method800 proceeds to step 230.

At step 230 a reward level is calculated. The method 800 then proceedsto step 235, where the calculated reward level is allocated to theprimary account holder and, if the prompt mode is utilized, any otherpresent sub-account members. The method 800 then proceeds to step 240,where the customer record is updated, and to step 840 where the methodis exited.

A benefit of the above described embodiment is that the averagetransaction time is shorter for customers that utilize such multi-partycards. Therefore, lines are shorter and service for all customers isgenerally faster. Also, since the number of customers who pass throughthe turnstile is recorded, it is possible to track how many people aregoing to the store or using the public transit in a given time period.

F. High Volume Transaction Environment

In a high volume transaction environment embodiment of the invention,participants (i.e., members, account holders and sub-account holders)can indicate their physical presence to the transaction system 100 usingother transaction controllers (not shown). For example, in the case of ahigh volume fast food establishment having a large number of point ofsale (POS) terminals, a primary account holder (e.g., a teacher) maytransact for a plurality of students at the first POS terminal. Each ofthe plurality of students may then transact at any of the POS terminals.In this manner, the restaurant avoids the annoyance of a large line ofstudents behind a teacher at a single POS terminal. Rather, the studentsmay disperse to multiple POS terminals, thereby alleviating congestionat the one terminal and improving the transaction experience for boththe clerks and the customers. Moreover, by utilizing a frequentshopper/frequent customer card according to the invention, spendinglimits may be set and enforced prior to the conclusion of individualtransactions, thereby excluding non-allowed purchases at the POS. ThePOS may also determine the number of meals ordered for a giventransaction or set of transactions. By comparing the number of mealsordered to the number of account holders and sub-account holderspresent, it may be determined if there are more account holders andsub-account holders present than there are meals ordered, in which casethe account holders and sub-account holders may be asked to re-identifythemselves and their orders. In another embodiment, primary andsub-account holders can be reminded at the POS that their present orderdoes not include items usually ordered, or those items usually orderedmay be suggested before the order is taken.

G. Affiliated Reward Programs

In one embodiment of the invention the frequent shopper card comprises abank card, credit card or debit card. The bank credit card or debit cardmay be an affinity card associated with a particular establishment or astandard credit card or debit card. This embodiment is attractive due tothe cross branding or cross leverage nature of promotional programsoffered by, e.g., retail establishments and banking or other financialestablishments offering credit/debit cards. Thus, in the case of acredit card seeking to increase customer usage, retail or othertransaction environments may utilize that promotional impetus to helpboost their own sales. Similarly, in the case of affinity cardssponsored by, e.g., airlines or other travel companies, rewards such asfrequent flyer miles may be leveraged into the standard rewards programof a restaurant or other selling entity.

Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of thepresent invention have been shown and described in detail herein, thoseskilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments thatstill incorporate these teachings.

1. A method comprising: receiving transaction data that includesfrequent shopper data and item or service data associated with acustomer transaction; determining, based on the frequent shopper data,frequent shopper account data that includes information identifying aprimary account holder, at least one sub-account holder, and at leastone previous order; displaying the at least one previous orderassociated with the frequent shopper account; receiving an instructionto purchase another item or service according to the at least oneprevious order; and processing the customer transaction in accordancewith the transaction data and the received instruction.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: receiving physical presence informationidentifying the primary account holder and at least one sub-accountholder present during the transaction; evaluating the customertransaction based on at least one of the physical presence information,the transaction data, and the instruction to purchase an item or serviceaccording to the at least one previous order; and updating performancedata of at least one of the primary account holder and the at least onesub-account holder.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein updatingperformance data comprises at least one of adding reward points,subtracting reward points, calculating a reward level, and allocating acalculated award level to at least one of the primary account holder andto at least one sub-account holder.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising providing a reward to at least one of the primary accountholder and at least one sub-account holder.
 5. The method of claim 4, inwhich providing the reward comprises providing at least one of animmediate discount associated with the transaction, an increase inreward points, a future discount, a coupon, and a monetary rebate. 6.The method of claim 4, in which providing the reward further comprisesallocating the reward between the primary account holder and at leastone sub-account holder account according to at least one rule.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the at least one rule comprises at least oneof transaction rules, reward rules, physical presence rules, andaffiliation rules.
 8. A computer readable medium storing instructionsconfigured to direct a processor to: receive transaction data thatincludes frequent shopper data and item or service data associated witha customer transaction; determine, based on the frequent shopper data,frequent shopper account data which includes information identifying aprimary account holder, at least one sub-account holder, and at leastone previous order; display the at least one previous order associatedwith the frequent shopper account; receive an instruction to purchaseanother item or service according to the at least one previous order;and process the customer transaction in accordance with the transactiondata and the received instruction.
 9. The computer readable medium ofclaim 8, which further comprises instructions configured to direct theprocessor to: receive physical presence information identifying theprimary account holder and at least one sub-account holder presentduring the transaction; evaluate the customer transaction based on atleast one of the physical presence information, the transaction data,and the instruction to purchase an item or service according to the atleast one previous order; and update performance data of at least one ofthe primary account holder and the at least one sub-account holder. 10.The computer readable medium of claim 9, in which updating theperformance data further comprises instructions configured to direct theprocessor to at least one of add reward points, subtract reward points,calculate a reward level, and allocate a calculated award level to atleast one of the primary account holder and to at least one sub-accountholder.
 11. The computer readable medium of claim 8, which furthercomprises instructions configured to direct the processor to provide areward to at least one of the primary account holder and at least onesub-account holder.
 12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, inwhich providing the reward comprises instructions configured to directthe processor to at least one of issue an immediate discount associatedwith the transaction, increase reward points, provide a future discount,issue a coupon, and provide a monetary rebate.
 13. The computer readablemedium of claim 11, which further comprises instructions configured todirect the processor to allocate the reward between the primary accountholder and at least one sub-account holder account according to at leastone rule.
 14. A system, comprising: a transaction controller including amicroprocessor and a memory; and an input device operatively connectedto the transaction controller; wherein the input device receivestransaction data that includes frequent shopper data and item or servicedata associated with a customer transaction, and wherein themicroprocessor determines, based on the frequent shopper data, frequentshopper account data that includes information identifying a primaryaccount holder, at least one sub-account holder, and at least oneprevious order, provides instructions to display the at least oneprevious order, receives an instruction to purchase an item or serviceaccording to the at least one previous order, and processes the customertransaction in accordance with the transaction data and the instructionto purchase an item or service according to the at least one previousorder.
 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least oneserver in communication with the transaction controller, wherein theserver comprises an input/output circuit, a microprocessor, and a memoryincluding at least one of an awards rules database, an awards database,and entertainment programs.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein theinput device comprises at least one of a biometric device, a voicerecognition unit, a license plate scanner, a handwriting recognitionunit, a fingerprint scanner, a retinal scanner, a barcode scanner, atouchscreen, a keyboard, and a computer mouse.
 17. The system of claim14, wherein the microprocessor is operable to calculate a reward,allocate the reward among the primary account holder and the sub-accountholders, and to update an account of at least one of the primary accountholder and at least one sub-account holder.
 18. The system of claim 14,wherein the input device comprises a card reader, and an account holderprovides data by using at least one of a frequent shopper card, bankcard, credit card, debit card, and an affinity card.